The NFL will play as many as two regular-season games per year outside the United States starting in 2007, with Mexico, Canada, England and Germany as possible sites for starters.

The plan, first announced last month, was approved Tuesday at the recommendation of new commissioner Roger Goodell, who said the benefits of reaching an international audience outweighed the loss of some teams' home games.

"We are talking about a limited number of games that we think will have a tremendous impact," Goodell said. "It's in response to the growing fan interest in our game overseas. There are more and more fans on a global basis."

If a team ever has a horrid game following an overseas game, this plan will be the most scrutinized in ages.

The NFL will play as many as two regular-season games per year outside the United States starting in 2007, with Mexico, Canada, England and Germany as possible sites for starters.

The plan, first announced last month, was approved Tuesday at the recommendation of new commissioner Roger Goodell, who said the benefits of reaching an international audience outweighed the loss of some teams' home games.

"We are talking about a limited number of games that we think will have a tremendous impact," Goodell said. "It's in response to the growing fan interest in our game overseas. There are more and more fans on a global basis."

If a team ever has a horrid game following an overseas game, this plan will be the most scrutinized in ages.

I'd think they would work it so that these are early season games, so you can give the teams playing overseas the bye the next week. It probably wouldn't be needed for a game in Toronto or Mexico City, but it would be easy enough to play a game in week 5 in Berlin, and then give those two teams a bye in week 6.

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For those of us who have paid for PSLs, learning that we will likely lose one of our 8 opportunities per year to see our team play live, this is not a good story. I don't expect to get a partial refund of my PSL, but I sure would like it.

Listen, the NFL isn't going to expand beyond the USA (and possibly Canada, although I wouldn't hold my breath on that). If you want to put the NFL on display in Europe or Asia or Mexico (or someplace that doesn't already have a team), do it in the pre-season. If a team volunteers to go on a road trip, for whatever reason, let them. If a team doesn't want to go, don't make them.

I forgot where I read this plan, but some website suggested that to entice teams to give up one of their home games, the NFL should make a provision that cities who take the international games will be given special consideration for getting to host a Super Bowl.

"I don't know what is more disquieting -- the fact that the rest of the statue is missing, or that it has four toes."